Hip Pain

The hip joint is an area well known for hip replacements in old age, but it can also be the source of pain and problems from babies onwards.

The hip is a ball and socket joint and this means the ball potentially can come out of the socket, i.e. to dislocate. Newborns are commonly tested for congenital dislocation of the hip.

To stop dislocation from being a common problem the hip gets maximum stability by the deep insertion of the top of the thigh bone (femur) into its cup joint (acetabulum) in the pelvis.

The muscles that move the joint are also strong as are the ligaments that support the joint. One of these ligaments, the Y ligament, is considered to be the strongest ligament in the body. It also plays a significant roll in keeping us upright.

Hip pain is mainly felt in the groin and along the middle or inner thigh but the problem may be elsewhere and sending pain to the hip. This is why an osteopath will also examine the low back, pelvis and knee as each of these areas can send pain to the hip.

Snapping in and around the joint can occur and can have many causes. A muscle or ligament sometimes slips over a bony nodule. Sometimes it may be due to the hip itself, this problem is called snapping hip syndrome.